Turkish Airlines pilot tragically dies mid‑flight to Istanbul

A Turkish Airlines plane flying from Seattle in the United States to Istanbul made an emergency landing in New York on Wednesday after the pilot lost consciousness shortly after takeoff. Crew members attempted to save him, but he passed away before landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

As reported by the AP news agency, the captain of the plane died during the flight. The aircraft, operated by Turkish Airlines, had to make an unscheduled landing in New York.

A drama unfolded on board the plane shortly after takeoff when the captain started losing consciousness. The crew immediately began resuscitation efforts.

Efforts to restore the pilot's circulation were unsuccessful. According to the airline, the pilot died just before landing at Kennedy Airport.

A representative of Turkish Airlines, Yahya Ustun, stated in a press release issued after the tragic event that the pilot's health problems arose right after takeoff from Seattle. By the time the plane landed at JFK Airport, the pilot had already passed away.

The pilot had been employed by Turkish Airlines since 2007. According to the spokesperson, health check results conducted in the spring showed no conditions that would have disqualified him from serving as a pilot.